List of astronomical instruments
Astronomical instruments include:
- Alidade – Device that allows one to sight a distant object
- Armillary sphere – Model of objects in the sky consisting of a framework of rings
- Astrarium – Timepiece and astronomical prediction device
- Astrolabe – Astronomical instrument
- Astronomical clock – Clock with special mechanisms and dials to display astronomical information
- the Antikythera mechanism, an astronomical clock
- Antikythera mechanism – Ancient analogue astronomical computer
- Blink comparator – Instrument for comparing small differences between two photographs of the night sky.
- Bolometer – Device for measuring incident electromagnetic radiation
- Canterbury Astrolabe Quadrant – Medieval astrolabe found in England
- Celatone – Navigational aid reliant on tracking Jupiter's moons in the sky
- Celestial sphere – Imaginary sphere of arbitrarily large radius, concentric with the observer
- Charge-coupled device – Device for the movement of electrical charge
- Computers – Machine for processing data and performing calculations
- CMOS sensor – Image sensor, consisting of an integrated circuit
- Coronagraph – Telescopic attachment designed to block out the direct light from a star
- Cosmolabe – Ancient astronomical instrument
- Dioptra – Classical surveying instrument from the 3rd century BCE
- Equatorial ring – Instrument to determine the moment of the equinoxes
- Equatorium – Astronomical calculating instrument
- Gnomon – Part of a sundial that casts a shadow
- Inclinometer – Instrument used to measure the inclination of a surface relative to local gravity
- Interferometer – Instrument which measures the interference of superimposed waves
- Kamal – Celestial navigation device that determines latitude
- Meridian circle – Astronomical instrument for timing of the passage of stars
- Microchannel plate detector – Detection single parties and photons
- Mural instrument – Type of angle measuring device
- Nebra sky disk – Bronze artefact, c. 1600 BC, found in Nebra, Germany
- Nocturnal – Instrument to determine local time using relative positions of two or more stars in the night sky
- Octant – Measuring instrument used primarily in navigation; type of reflecting instrument
- Optical spectrometer, also known as Spectrograph – Instrument to measure the properties of visible light
- Orrery – Mechanical model of the Solar System
- Photographic plate – Target medium in photography
- Photometer – Instrument to measure light intensity
- Planisphere – Class of star chart
- Prague astronomical clock – Medieval astronomical clock on the Old Town Hall building in Prague, Czech Republic
- Quadrant – Navigation instrument
- Reticle – Aim markings in optical devices, e.g. crosshairs
- Radio plate
- Retroreflector – Device to reflect radiation back to its source
- Scaphe – Sundial said to have been invented by Aristarchus
- Sextant – Measuring instrument in Astronomy
- Starshade – Proposed occulter
- Space telescope – Instrument in space to study astronomical objects
- Spectrometers – Used to measure spectral components of light
- Sundial – Device that tells the time of day by the apparent position of the Sun in the sky
- Telescope – Instrument that makes distant objects appear magnified
- Torquetum – Medieval astronomical instrument
- Triquetrum – Ancient astronomical instrument
- Zenith telescope – Type of telescope that points straight up
